The Sound of Bamboo

Text

Xiangyan had been an extremely learned monk, but when Guishan challenged him to express his understanding beyond words and letters, he could not. He burned his books and retreated to tend the grave of National Teacher Nanyang. One day while sweeping the path, he flung away a pebble that struck a stalk of bamboo. At the sound, he was suddenly awakened. He composed a verse: "One strike and I forgot all I knew. No more need for practice or proof. Moving along the ancient path, I am not fallen into passivity. Everywhere I leave no trace. Dignity of manner transcends sound and form. Those who have attained the Way all agree: this is the highest."

license: public_domain

Attribution

• Speaker
  Xiangyan Zhixian

Lineage: Guiyang

By Xiangyan Zhixian

• Kyogen Mounts the Treekoan
• Proceed From The Top Of The Polekoan
• A Painting of a Rice Cake Cannot Satisfy Hungerproverb
• Tile Striking the Bambooproverb
• A Man Up a Treeproverb

From Traditional Zen Encounter Dialogues

• My Mind Is Not at Peace
• Thinking of Not-Thinking
• Not Knowing Is Most Intimate
• The Boat Monk's Transmission
• Vast Emptiness, Nothing Holy
• Ordinary Mind Is the Way
• Nanquan Kills the Cat
• Wash Your Bowl
• The Oak Tree in the Garden
• This Very Mind Is Buddha

Sources

• contentWikisource — English-language free library

  Jingde Chuandenglu, Xiangyan chapter

  Traditional Zen Encounter Dialogues: The Sound of Bamboo